Sui Ren

The only saving grace to this restaurant is the duck crispy confit bun. The maitake tempura was too oily, they didn’t have any grated radish, the miso and duck ramens were bland and the noodles were soggy. The pork belly in the miso ramen was good, but all in all the dish was a disappointment. The amount of effort they put into the ambiance of this place, they should have used towards making a better ramen.

I wrote a bad review update and, at the polite and pleading behest of the manager, removed it until I tried the menu with their new chef.
I’m sorry. I reaffirm that it’s bad now. And it made me sick to my stomach.

What an utter disappointment. I’ll admit that the Skint led me here in pursuit of free snacks and drinks, but apparently they were reporting an event that happened the YEAR BEFORE.
My hopes were still high, and unfortunately, I was terribly disappointed. I ordered the Buta Shabu Goma Ae. It sounded good. But it wasn’t. It looked like Oscar Meyer bacon slathered with a thick, goopy sesame sauce, with minimal greens. I couldn’t eat it. It made me nauseous.
Apparently Kat H. fared well with her pork buns, but my ex and I made another misstep when we ordered the ramen. It just tasted WEIRD. I was incredibly disappointed, and am not likely to return. It’s a pity, because I found the wait staff to be nothing short of sweet, efficient, and just totally unpoint. Not to mention the cute bartender…

I am not quite sure what to make out of Sui Ren. It is just because I am confused about its identity. Is it Japanese? Is it fusion? Is it Sake Bar? Is it tapas bar?
Mainly non Japanese selling St, Mark-​ish tapas that are cooked in wrong way. I didn’t expect to see such an Americanized Japanese joint in the midst of Williamsburg, NY in 2010, serving mostly American (?) crowds. The front area, pretty much looks like a cocktail bar but no one is around. And there were about 7 tables in the back where we sat ourselves.
We got several appretizers that we normally get in St Mark st, places like Daisho or Kenka. Such as Asparagus skewer wrapped in bacons strips, sishamo (grilled smelt fish), Okonomiyaki (Japnese pancake) and a karaff of Sake (Jumai, $ 24). Everything was ok priced, ranged under $ 10. Especially the sake was very generous in portion like a whole sake bottle. I was surprised by the serving size because in Japanese sake bars, karaf I usually understand as masu (the wooden box sized). Anyways, we could not finish the sake.
However, let’s get to the points. Sishamo was the worst ever I had, not at all cooked and I could still taste the gutty fish. Yu — -ck! Whoever grilled, doesn’t know a thing. Asparagus one was a OK but the bacon was soggy not crispy. Though, Okonomiyaki was very tastely done. Yet, not quite in traditional way. I praised it to the waitress anyways. Our waitress was quite nice and friendly but this other one wearing platform shoes was stomping around the place like she is on a runway or something, acting like she is all that for some reason (I still don’t see why) and bugged the hell out of us.
So you see why I am still wondering? It seems they are confused. It seems the cooks are confused, too. And in the end, I don’t know what it is, either. What a stressful world. sigh…
You know that I am not recommending, right?

like sarah said. the tuna wrapped around the quail egg is the best.
i don’t like the pork burn thou~
the cream cake is the best dessert i hv ever had.
the food is a little bit slow thou~
but for sure. i will go eat again.

4.5 stars!!!
Wow, we came here MONTHS back (I’ve just been a lil slack re my reviews) and loved it. Super exceeded our expectations. and we thought we were heading to a regular izakaya only find such a lovely (and spanking new then) resto with such a great menu (and great tasting food) and upscale (amongst izakaya) décor.
We ordered the
— Edamame
— Shrimp tempura
— Agedashi tofu
— Steamed pork bun (YUM!)
— Fluke sashimi (I think? — it has been a while =p)
— Okonomiyaki
— A couple of skewers
— Ramen
— Mille crepes (YUM!)
— Japanese pancake
Most of the stuff were pretty awesome. What can I say? Affordable food, great ambiance and truly good taste. Can’t go wrong!

We loved their skewered food — the octopus and the duck were delicious — and their okonomiyaki was busting with yumminess! We had the vegetarian ramen — I didn’t like the thick broth and the flavors — but my boyfriend thought it was ok.
The service was good (the waitresses were team players).
The décor is on the swanky side.

I really thought I was going to hate this place, despite the positive reviews. Not quite fair of me, but it feels pretty hipster and you can’t see the kitchen, unlike at most izakaya/​ramen places.
The food totally came through, though. We had the fried shishito peppers, the quail eggs with pork belly skewers, the okonomiyaki with squid, and the duck ramen. The quail eggs blew me away — each egg was cooked perfectly, biting into it released the soft yolk along with the flavor of the smoky pork belly. Perfection. The okonomiyaki was satisfying, and the chunks of squid inside were perfectly cooked as well. The ramen had a good, flavorful broth — the pieces of duck were a tiny bit tough, but they were still tasty.
Is Sui Ren the best Japanese in the city? No, of course not. But it’s a surprisingly good place to slurp noodles and fill up on grilled skewers in Wburg.

I will save my pork bun consuming for another time but if you are in Brooklyn and you can’t stop thinking about the bun then Sui Ren would be the place to quite those little pork bun voices.
What I did love about this place is the duck breast skewer! There is also another skewer with the quail egg that is also worth trying but the one thing that stands out in my mind is the duck and the yuzu shochu cocktail.
Their backyard beckons for summer chilling with reggae on the sound system.
I recently went back again and must report the Basil Karaage is now on the favorites list! I tried the ramen, not a fan. Maybe next time I’ll try the duck ramen but the pork did not do it for me.

I don’t like it here :-(
I thought that I would, but then they served me tuna covered quail eggs that seem like a good idea but was impossible to eat, I mean, how do i even get that off the plate and into my mouth?
The buzzed-​about pork buns, completely forgettable!
The ramen, took two bites, couldn’t stomach it. Broth was so inexplicable and the noodles like instant, and there were feathers still sticking out of my duck slices. It was expensive, and I don’t like to waste food, but I could not go any further!
A very disappointing experience.

I think they probably have the best Ramen in Williamsburg. Well at least the duck broth ramen. The miso one is just ok. If that was all they served, I’d probably take the L to 1^st ave. to eat Ramen at Kambi.
If you go to Sui Ren though, the pork bun is a must. It’s like a pecking duck wrap with crispy pork instead of duck. Similar to Ippudo pork bun, but different sauce inside. They are both equally awesome.
2 for 1 Sapporo drafts on Tuesday is always awesome.
I’m also down with the «free beer with Ramen» Wednesdays.

I stopped in here on my first day as a Brooklynite, about 10 minutes after they opened. (I was moving stuff in all day, Unilocal said they were open, why not?) I was planning on getting take-​out but it was a nice afternoon and the patio area looked too comfy to turn down.
My server was terrific, she checked back with the perfect frequency even though I was the only one on the patio, and she even took a few minutes to chat when I mentioned that I was brand new in town.
I ordered the pork bun and the duck ramen. I am a great fan of Japanese food, and they have a great looking menu that eschews sushi entirely, and cuts out fast-​food style Japanese dishes.
The pork bun was delicious, with a great spectrum of textures between the meat, the bun dough, and the crispy greens. The ramen though, was the highlight for me. Recalling how it looked is making me hungry again. Great presentation with the collage of duck, chives, sprouts, noodles, and bamboo shoots; and I love the mosaic of oil and hot sauce that sits on the surface of the broth. This was as authentic as any ramen I had in Japan, and a lot better tasting.
I’ll definitely be back to try some more of the menu, I’d like to see what the chef does with okonomiyaki!

Great new addition to B’Burg’s izakaya scene which I think is worth a trek from the main drag to check out the food. I’ll definitely be back to sample more of the menu. My friend and I had been eating all day so all we had was the miso ramen and okonomyaki which were both delicious. The miso broth was excellent, complex but subtle. The chansu pork was kinda sweet which was a nice variation from most ramen and the mix of veggies was interesting: corn, peapods along with the usual shredded cabbage, and scallions. There also thread-​thin slices of red chili peppers which was a nice little surprise every few bites but not overwhelming. The noodles were pretty standard but good. The okonomyaki was excellent, full of chunks fresh ingredients, not overcooked or overly eggy or floury.
They have a varied menu which definitely tempts me into coming back when I have a bigger appetite. Their back garden is lovely with plenty of seating, service was excellent and unobstrusive and the prices made it a great bargain.

Came here for a quick dinner while walking in Williamsburg. Although it is a few blocks from the subway, it was totally worth it!
The back garden was cute and not super crowded. The staff were friendly and attentive. I started with this jasmine-​mint drink that tasted like a mojito which was good!
We ordered the pork bun and spicy tuna for appetizers — both excellent. The pork bun (1) may I add… was delicious and the spicy tuna with crackers was light and very fresh.
For dinner, the miso ramen was very tasty. I like a little spice so I added some siracha sauce and it was very good, there was a little corn and snow peas mixed in with the braised pork belly which was tender and flavorful.
For $ 49, it was not that expensive for the amount of food we got! I would go back and try eating in the actual restaurant since it was a really nice lounge.

Whatchu know bout Sui Ren?! Nothing, huh. Well it’s on the verge of being on the radar, just has to be discovered!
The front is really nondescript, but once you walk in it’s dark and lounge like. We went straight to the back to enjoy the nice weather in the outdoor patio. So quiet and relaxing.
Tuesdays is where it’s at– 2 for 1 Sapporos, but each person has to get at least 2 which is fiiine by me (2 Sapporos = $ 8). Wednesdays are buy a ramen, get a beer free. Their food is solid. Kind of upscale izakaya grub but a notch below Zenkichi down the block so my wallet stays happy.
The duck ramen was okay, but got cold very quickly since we were sitting outside. The soft yolk quail eggs wrapped with tuna were amaaazing! Something about biting into the egg and having the yolk ooze in my mouth is so gratifying. The pork buns were pretty good, but I still prefer pork belly buns. After tax and tip we each paid $ 35 which included 2 beers AND a dessert each. (I basically gorged myself grossss.)
Amazing and our waitress couldn’t have been nicer! Just waiting for the word on Sui Ren to spread like wildfire.

I arrived here around 11 pm on Friday night, and the place was not very busy probably owing to the fact it had rained pretty hard that evening. My dinner companion and I sat in the back patio area, which was so quiet, and refreshingly clean/​tidy.
We ordered the steamed pork bun and edamame as appetizers. My date mentioned that the pork bun was even better than Ippudo’s. I disagree, but she happily wolfed it down.
For our main course dishes the waitress brought Buta shabu goma ae (shabu-​shabu with sesame dressing over greens), Unagi & foie gras, and Buta to uzura (pork belly wrapped around soft yolk quail egg).
If you go there, please do not miss out on ordering the Buta shabu goma ae. When I went to Japan my friend’s wife made this dish, and Sui Ren replicates it perfectly. We were in fact tempted to order a second dish of this, but we decided not to fill up too much since we were hitting the bars afterward. I enjoyed the quail egg, but it’s not a ‘must-​item’ on the menu. The Unagi was excellent, but the foie gras was served cold. I tend to enjoy the latter warm.
I’ll come back again and again for the shabu-​shabu.
The service was excellent, and our waitress never rushed us during the entire meal.

I’m very stingy giving 5 stars, but Sui Ren meets all my expectations.
What a hidden gem in Williamsburg! I’ve been here twice already and never disappointed. Can’t wait until I have another bachi maguro craving (will explain in second). Modern décor indoors and spacious outdoor seating with an open grill to the side. Great for intimate dinners and for large parties. It’s BYOB for now, which is great… just bring your own bottles of wine/​sake and the staff is more than gracious to keep them chilled. Overall service is good… sometimes a bit too attentive. My personal plate is always cleared away and I would have to ask for another plate again. I still want to eat more!
Highlights from the menu:
Bachi maguro to udama — fresh tuna with soft yolk quail egg & crispy seaweed
Teba — black pepper chicken wings
Age dashi tofu — dashi broth, deep fried silken tofu
Maguro taru taru — spicy tuna served with crispy rice cracker
Shishamo — japanese plump salted grilled smelt
Yaki tako — grilled octopus
LOVE the bachi maguro to udama! Fresh big eye tuna hugging a soft yolk quail egg that melts in your mouth. I can’t get enough… DELICIOUS! I will definitely go back again to try out the rest of the menu and their specials.

Service, not overly done but impeccable. Everyone was very nice, maybe because it’s their soft opening? Or because they have a cool ass restaurant.
FOOD–
Bachi Maguru to Udama– I will dream about this dish tonight, Quail egg with tuna, I love you!
Kamo Mune– Duck with Foie Gras cream, I mean come on! How can you go wrong?
Pork bun– great
Homemade curried Beef Bun– good
Buta Hire– Good
Shiitake– I LOVE my shiitake, lightly fried, I will take it.
Outstanding, Many components to a dish and you can really taste all the flavors.
INSIDE–
Nice décor, good music, NOT CHEESY.
They also have an outdoor patio.
P.S– For now it’s BYOB.

Dined here 2009.06.23
This 5-​star review is for the food and service. Iceberg lettuce… who knew? Also, warm eel and cold foie gras make for a killer combination. Usuzukuri with tomato sorbet was delish, as was the kamo ramen. Teba chicken wings were also quite good. Jun-​san is a genius! The service was helpful and attentive. The meal we had here was half the cost of a similar meal we had at Zenkichi, but better.
If I had to find a fault, it would be the placement of the kitchen doors, which swing out into the dining room, throwing bright fluorescent rays into the eyes of any diner unlucky enough to be seated against the wall facing the kitchen. (I had my back to the doors, but noticed the lights.)
That said, I feel the superb food and great service at an eminently reasonable price warrant 5 stars. I will eat here again (there is still half the menu to check out!)

My mouth is still watering.
That was the best octopus and the best duck breast that I have ever had in any preparation, bar none. The fried octopus special was initially prepared in an immersion cooker, then deep fried, then popped into my mouth to bring me to whole new levels of paradise. The duck breast with foie gras crème was impeccably rich and meaty and, if you’ll excuse the cliché, bursting with flavor.
The grilled iceberg lettuce skewers were a delightful start to the meal and the spicy tuna with rice crackers were charmingly noisy treats. Portion size was generally quite generous given the casual-​yet-​refined Japanese tapas approach, enough that I was surprised that the spicy tuna serving was hamburger-​sized.
I don’t care that their liquor license hasn’t come through yet (they anticipate offering a full bar within the next few weeks). I don’t care that their otherwise rather dark & glamorous dining environment is confused by plastic diamond-​shaped Max Headroom-​esque lights that drop from the ceiling (which, to be fair, look pretty cool from a distance but odd right beside you). I’m thoroughly smitten and I want to go back tout de suite to order the grilled malpeque oyster and big eye tuna skewer that I didn’t have this go ’round. A girl has needs, you know.